Substance abuse is a problem that is obvious in society but hidden from everyday life. Many people get away with hiding their addictions for many years. There are different types of addicts, from the full-blown addicts to the occasional users, but all types will need to go to rehab eventually. Few people can conquer an addiction without some type of professional intervention.
Getting treated at a rehab center is a great step in the right direction. However, another problem quickly becomes apparent. You may not have anyone to care for young children or disabled adults that rely on your regular care. This is a roadblock that many addicts use as an excuse to avoid getting treated. Many parents don’t like the idea of other people taking care of their kids. Others worry about being seen as unfit and losing custody of their children altogether. Fortunately, there are ways to resolve this problem. The following are solutions to ensure that your family is cared for while you’re receiving substance abuse treatment.
Family and Friends
You have already gotten past telling your family that you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol. The next difficult step is to leave them and go off to recover at a rehab center. You don’t want to neglect your family, but getting help for your addiction is not an option. At the same time, you need your family to ensure that your children or other loved ones are taken care of while you’re gone.
If your family is not available, ask your close friends. Most people are willing to help when young, innocent children are involved. To reduce the burden on them, it’s ideal that you choose two or more friends to act as caretakers. Do not expect one person or household to care for all of your children indefinitely.
In addition, provide as many details as possible. A lot of addicts are guilty of dumping their responsibilities on other people. From the beginning, provide an estimate of how long you think the treatment will last and when you’ll return. While getting treated, provide regular updates about how many improvements you’re making.
Charitable Organizations
If asking family or friends is not an option, contact nonprofit organizations that are not associated with businesses or governmental agencies. There are volunteer-based organizations, such as Safe Families for Children, that provide temporary homes for the families of recovering parents. The children are returned to the parents after they complete treatment.
Charitable organizations perform these duties for the betterment of society. They do not charge fees for their services because they rely on donations. Some people think that they’re getting low-quality services that are free. Other people think that they’re getting higher quality treatments from volunteers who genuinely care about their problems. In addition, nonprofit organizations are more willing to help struggling families than governmental agencies.
Government Agencies
The U.S. has state and federal government agencies devoted to helping families that are affected by substance abuse. Families must meet certain qualifications to receive governmental assistance. At the basic level, there are programs to help low-income families find jobs, housing, food and financial assistance. There are additional programs to help them find daycare and child care.
The government provides health insurance plans that cover substance abuse treatment, including short-term and long-term rehabilitation. The Affordable Care Act increased the level of healthcare access for people suffering from mental health disorders and drug/alcohol abuse. When you save money on your rehab bills, you have more money to cover the costs of childcare expenses.
It seems like a bad situation easily turns to worse when you plan to go away to rehab. Your family has to suffer more by not having you around to care for them. Fortunately, you have other family members and friends to step in when you need them during this difficult time. When they’re not available, there are charities and governmental agencies that will step in to provide free or low-cost assistance. In any case, there is no excuse not to go to rehab and allow your addiction to worsen. Call our center today at 772-266-5320. We have drug and alcohol abuse specialists ready to schedule your consultation.
